23 October Man Utd 1-6 Man City

City victories at Old Trafford had been rare enough in recent times, but to win in this fashion, City ramming home their superiority with three goals in the closing stages, sent an emphatic message about the shifting balance of power in the city.

22 January Man City 3-2 Tottenham

All title winners need strokes of good fortune and the luck was with City as they squeaked past a Spurs side then in their richest vein of form. Pegged back to 2-2 after taking a 2-0 lead, City won it with a late penalty from Mario Balotelli, who was fortunate to still be on the pitch after a stamp on Scott Parker.

11 April Wigan 1-0 Man Utd

Before this match, more excitable observers were speculating how United could clinch the title by the following Sunday if results went their way. All leading sides suffer the occasional blip at the hands of relegation scrappers, but United were comprehensively outplayed here by a superb Wigan, who shredded United's aura of reliability.

22 April Man Utd 4-4 Everton

Alex Ferguson's side are never expected to surrender any leads in the final stages of matches, let alone at 4-2. But when late goals from Nikica Jelavic and Steven Pienaar earned Everton a deserved draw at Old Trafford there was no doubt who now had the momentum in the title race.

30 April Man City 1-0 Man Utd

Another 1-0 United defeat that did not tell the full story. A manifestly superior City outfought and out-thought their rivals in a tense derby settled by Vincent Kompany's header. It was no classic but the contrast between the two sides' energy levels and tactical nous left few in any doubt that Roberto Mancini's side would be deserved champions.

6 May 2 Newcastle Utd 0-2 Man City

Having beaten their neighbours, the most "typical City" thing Mancini's side could have done would have been to then lose at St James' Park against a Newcastle side in rampant form of their own. But City's assertive, positive performance – typified by Yaya Touré's brilliant first goal – bore the mark of champions.